O Erro de Janeiro do Spurs Deu a Iniciativa do North London Derby ao Arsenal

The Midfield Missing Piece

Look, we're all looking forward to Sunday's North London Derby. Arsenal hosting Tottenham at the Emirates – it’s always a fiery affair, regardless of form. But if you're asking me who holds the edge, my eyes immediately drift to the transfer market decisions made back in January. Arsenal, for all their talk about 'waiting for the right player,' quietly pulled off a smart bit of business bringing in Jorginho for £12 million from Chelsea. It wasn't the sexy signing everyone screamed for, but it added a veteran presence, a deep-lying playmaker who knows how to control a game's tempo.

And that's where the contrast with Spurs really starts. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici were chasing Jakub Kiwior, a player Arsenal eventually snagged for around £21 million from Spezia. Kiwior isn't a midfielder, of course, but the fact is, Arsenal added depth and options across multiple positions. Spurs, meanwhile, were far too focused on their pursuit of Nicolo Zaniolo, a player who eventually went to Galatasaray for a loan-to-buy deal worth roughly €15 million after add-ons. Zaniolo would have been a luxury, not the midfield engine they desperately needed.

The Post-Bissouma Black Hole

Here's the thing: Spurs still haven't truly replaced Mousa Dembélé, let alone properly integrated Yves Bissouma after his £25 million move from Brighton last summer. Bissouma has only started eight Premier League games this season. When Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur are fit, they're the preferred duo. But Bentancur is now out for the season with an ACL injury, and Højbjerg can't do it all himself. They needed a top-tier holding midfielder, someone to really boss the center of the park. Instead, they opted for Pape Sarr, a promising youngster, but not a Derby-ready starter right now. Chelsea's Conor Gallagher was even linked with Spurs in January, but nothing materialized. It feels like they're continually missing the obvious solution in the transfer window.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have Thomas Partey playing some of his best football, and Granit Xhaka has been a revelation this season. They have depth with Jorginho and Albert Sambi Lokonga. That's a huge advantage, especially in a game where control of the midfield often dictates the outcome. Spurs' lack of a truly dominant, consistent central midfielder is going to be exposed against this Arsenal side, who have been building this team for 18 months with clear transfer targets in mind. My hot take? Spurs still haven't found a single truly impactful transfer since Cristian Romero joined in 2021.

I'm telling you, the difference in midfield quality, largely dictated by transfer market activity over the last 12 months, will be the story of Sunday. Arsenal win this one 3-1, and the conversation post-match will be all about Spurs' inability to properly reinforce. Expect more transfer rumors about midfielders heading to North London in the summer, but it will be too little, too late for this season's derby.